Chapter Nineteen

Walking out of an archway past wary Denver Pack guards, Adam and Darryl flanking me, with Ramona, Carla as her second, and a softly whistling Coyote behind, I wasn't so sure of that, but it was only 12:02. The venue was a conference centre in the foothills of the Rockies, owned by the local Alpha, so no-one was present except wolves, Coyote and me, but he had his whole pack on duty, a gut-reaction to having Bran and more dominant Alphas present.

Entering the main auditorium I could feel massed Alpha power and curiosity. Adam and Darryl were closed against it, but while it was right there it didn't bother me. How I could ignore others' dominance yet assert my own was a puzzle no-one had answered, but it didn't feel wrong and was certainly handy. Other things struck me. A year ago I'd have heard most names but couldn't have put a quarter to faces; now only a dozen were unknown, and all looked warier than not, another welcome departure. More importantly, beyond Ramona and Angus, several were somewhere on the acquaintance–friend borders — José Urillo of El Paso and Isaac Owens of Boston, from addressing the pink rallies; Hank Dawson of Houston from that and Paul's court martial; Bill Davis of Sacramento through Mary; Mark Hurley of Boise through Kyle's work for one of his wolves; Tom Yearman of St Louis, who'd quietly asked Adam's advice about recognising female dominance, and taken it — so I was giving and receiving friendly nods. And courtesy was going to matter, so I held up a hand and named Coyote to everyone as a self-appointed observer for Elder Spirits, and he held up a hand, striking a pose in Indian fashion.

"How, massed Alphas of the Marrok. May all your fur ever grow longer."

Ramona laughed, everyone else looked nonplussed, and I rolled my eyes. "He's reading Tolkien again, on account of some huorns. Don't worry about it. And sorry we're a tad late, Bran, everyone. I had to field some calls."

He quirked an eyebrow from the raised daïs where he sat with Samuel, Charles, Anna, Asil, and Colin Taggart. Colin was secretary, Charles had AV controls and took my flash drive, and Asil remained, post-Medicine-Wolf, both much more relaxed and a self-avowed aficionado de Mercy.

"Anyone interesting?"

"Westfield. Ap Lugh earlier, about Dracula's pilfered funds, which was why. But it can wait."

"It can, but you thought very well again, Mercy, and amused Charles." Charles and Anna gave me smiles, and Asil a thumbs-up. "The accuracy with which you read Wulfe is also impressive, so let's update everyone."

What order Bran did wolf things in was his business, but today's deeper purpose was there in the front seats reserved for us. Alphas could sort themselves by dominance easily and sometimes did, but it didn't translate into seating habits, and for many reasons Adam was usually happier in the middle of things. But today we sat quietly while Bran called everyone to order and ran crisply through events. It was factual, but he was pointedly constellating things around me, from the Man to Stefan and Wulfe, and ended by summarising the ultimatum I'd deliver, with who present, and what else would be happening. That produced whistles — billions hadn't been wrong, and the first number wasn't a one by some distance.

"In brief, all proceeds well, and is nearly set. Most of you have sent one wolf at least to SWAT squads, and that will ramp up next week. With Coyote here, avatar liaison can unroll some more, but that's less urgent than first strikes on seethes. And we now know, thanks to Mercy, that there is indeed a vampire resistance to Bonarata, and Wulfe the Sorcerer did trail his bait before two Gray Lords with the coldest calculation. We do not want to ring anyone's bells before Mercy speaks to Bonarata Friday, but from noon that day all packs and closer kin will go to a war footing. Who knows what will come out of the vamp woodwork before this is done? And those who don't police seethes, make sure your wolves are not complacent — vamps will be unusually mobile as pressure builds."

He gave me a look I returned steadily.

"Mercy insists, rightly, that we must seek reform, not conspire to commit ethnic cleansing. We must be prepared to deal with vamps honourably, when they are being honourable. But it is important resistance be broken and trouble stopped fast, so know where your line is, and if it's crossed don't hesitate." I held up a hand. "Mercy?"

I stood and turned. "One rider, everyone, which is please remember preternatural cooperation is available, and used well can reduce the death toll. And undeath toll. If a wolf is alone, a distressed or vacillating vamp might cross his or her line, when a wolf with backup will have depth in reserve. I know there will be a lot of dust created in this, but it matters a great deal that it is the right dust."

"Distressed? The bloodsuckers don't feel anything but hunger."

The speaker was near the back, one of my unknowns, so I plucked a name from Adam as I pushed back anger, which wouldn't help.

"That's dangerous bull, David Farmer of Knoxville. Vamps feel emotions fine. What's usually missing is a sense of humour and any principles beyond self-interest. Your pack doesn't keep down a seethe, so I'd guess you're going on lack of loyalty to sheep, and indifference to their deaths, but because you don't repine deer you eat doesn't mean you don't have emotions." There was laughter. "And everyone needs to remember that, however provoked, however necessarily, we are outing them. There will be real and reasonable shock and resentment, and I don't care what's only said. No harm, no foul. But one thing Wulfe the Sorcerer and with any luck Stefan and Hao will do is complicate that with warmer feelings, and I may be able to add to that, depending on how things play out. So I ask you to tell your wolves to look for contradictions and inconsistencies in what vamps will be saying, and tap gently. Try pointing out the advantages of sponsoring vamps onto a Path of Mercy, hashtag #DaywalkingByNight."

Quite a few looked confused, including Farmer, but others got it, and to my left, in the front row, Hank Dawson barked a laugh.

"How many enlightened vamps you reckon there are, Mercy?"

"I really don't know, Hank. I was used to thinking none except Stefan and Hao, but it's probably true two or three I've dismissed were among the worst, which skews my thinking. What I do know is they lack reason no more than emotion, and are going to be staring down a wide barrel with no allies, limited cash, nowhere to run, and big dissension in the ranks. Forced compliance is dandy, it being the compliance that matters."

"Un huh. I hear you. Then again, vamps have cost me and many of us plenty, and there ain't a one I'd call any kind of friend, nor wish anything but dust. And besides their being dead already, it ain't as if it'd be any kind of bloodbath, now is it?"

I had mixed feelings about Hank, his cowboy persona sometimes grating, but I knew this was an opening offered. Hank would have strong feelings about vamps, as many wolves did, but he had them about ethnic cleansing too, and given his dominance, if I could pull him clearly onboard others would re-assess, fast.

"Morality aside, one kind, at least, Hank. PR."

"Maybe. Maybe not."

"No maybes involved. I'm not doing this to be remembered for a genocide, and I've seen draft legislation making dismissing a vamp murder." Eyebrows went up. "I grant boundaries will be blurry for a bit, but there will be a test case sooner or later, and I doubt you'd like it to be one of your wolves that goes down for five hundred moons or whatever of silvered isolation." Alphas winced, and I shrugged. "Murder carries a life term. But we can shortcut all this, because at root it's a dominance thing, isn't it? You've heard Bran say I've insisted on honour with Gray Lords, Elder Spirits, and the Man. All accepted it because planning genocide is wrong, period. You all will too, but it'll come easier as an order from a dominant to do what you know is right anyway, so I'll do that."

"Will you, Mercy? Hard to know who's who, with you and Adam so close."

"Depends how good your senses are, Hank, but we can sort that too." I laid the cloak on my seat, with Manannán's Bane and Carnwennan, and stood away from Adam, restricting our bond. He looked at me with anticipation, and I was interested myself. Backing down Alphas hadn't been my thing, but if I really could now do what we both thought, I was going to feel a lot happier, and so was he. "For those who don't see magic, the Marrok can confirm my mate bond with Adam is tightly restricted. Just Mercy here, Hank, and you're nearly up to Adam's weight, so try me."

"Marrok?"

"Mercy does not lie."

"Good enough." Hank rose, dropping his dusty white stetson onto his seat, and stood five feet in front of me. I felt power build as he let his wolf forward and saw yellow in his eyes, but neither touched me. "Kneel!"

I grinned. "No thanks, Hank. I discovered Bran bounced past before I was three, and you're not even close."

The yellow faded. "Bounced past? Yeah, that sounds right. But you're not there at all, Mercy. You're immune to dominance, not dominant."

"Like this. But I can turn it on, Hank." I reached into myself, careful to pull only on my own crazy quilt of magics. "And now?"

The yellow snapped back as Hank's eyes widened. "Hell." He glanced at Bran. "Still just her? Damn. And you're … Adam, could you stand by her, bond still closed but open yourself?"

"Sure."

Adam did, and Hank looked between us several times before the yellow faded again with a sense of confusion.

"Even steven, I'd say." He scratched his head. "Are you co-Alphas?"

Adam smiled. "De facto, Hank. I have no problem with that, and might formally declare it sometime, if only for the fuss, but Mercy's gonna have other things than pack to do for a while."

"Yeah. Huh. Mated equivalence, you figure, despite her being coyote?"

"Yes. Mercy's magics have driven it. And give it another level you should know about, but first I'm reopening our bond, because I dislike restricting it and I am with her in all of this."

With the cloak back on and Manannán's Bane in hand, we let them feel a wash of power that scented the air with roses. My experiments using the cloak to boost dominance had entertained Adam, and at bottom a lot of dominance was just willpower, as magical intent was, so they meshed. Now, with us both projecting and the cloak amplifying the result was a palpable weight, equal to displays I'd felt from Bran. A lot of yellow flickered, but none stayed for long when I met gazes, and we let it drop.

"So that's us plus cloak and other magics acting to boost. And on top of that, though I do not want this spoken of outside this room, there's maxi-me, better known as Skuffles." She appeared beside me as dazed Alphas sat up, and gave me a pleading look. "Go ahead."

What a lot of Alphas. Every one of whom went rigid in their seats, as Skuffles dropped her jaw while Coyote laughed. Yes, I can talk. I am a very magical coyote, so why not? What matters, so far as reassuring you of Mercy's potency goes, is that I have a lot of teeth, and not always the same ones. These ones will work fine on wolves. She showed ordinary enamel dentition, not that it was so ordinary. But I can also make them silver, or wood for vamps, or iron for fae.

She showed each set, which had taken much advice and magic from Zee, Ariana, and others, but made me very happy and had Alphas gaping.

I have my own dominance, which is the same as Mercy's with the cloak's boost. She let it show for a moment, air thickening. And though Mercy gave me great independence, as I am more useful that way, she melded my magics and I am her as she is me, so her will is my will. If she or Adam or Jesse fight, so do I. And I am faster than any flesh can be.

As she showed, snapping left and right in a blurring rattle of skulls. Then all of us turned on the dominance, I gave the cloak and Manannán's Bane free rein, including Carnwennan in politeness, and took a breath.

"Hear me well, all Alphas bound to Bran Cornick. Adam and I defer only to him as the Marrok, whose word is wolf law, but he does not gainsay us in this, and by our command no Alpha here present, nor any wolf of their packs, will ever needlessly dismiss any vampire. Moreover, those vampires who register and sign up to the Code of Conduct will be left unmolested while they observe it. So will their sheep." I felt the order bite, and we let dominance drop. "When all's said and done, guys and gal, and allowing for seduction and people being idiots, we'd call most Turnings forced, so think about where we'd be at if we'd all been as forcibly changed as the Freed. Talk to Ramona about that one. Does that sort it, Hank?"

"I reckon so, Mercy. Sheesh." He shook his head, looking round. "I can't naysay them, y'all, by a distance, and don't want to anyway. Nor I can't like bloodsuckers, but havin' them out and regulated, with human backup and those neat wooden bullets, has to be a whole lot better than we got, even if it means some enforcin' of our own, time to time. And for those wonderin' if Mercy was fronting for Adam, or his to order, forget it. However it's nuts, that's one dominant coyote." He frowned at Skuffles. "Or two. Even more nuts, but I'm not arguin'."

He sat, reclaiming his stetson, and I glared at everyone.

"Anyone wondering either of those is really not paying attention." To almost anything. "There is a great deal I would do for Adam or Jesse without blinking, but not stooging into the White House. Get real. Adam and I are mated, not straight man and comic." I hauled irritation in. "But I understand the dominance thing is confusing. Any words of wisdom, all-too-exactly father? Do I get it from you?"

Coyote grinned, not bothering to stand, though he did turn. "Not exactly, delightfully dominant daughter. And I don't get the fuss. All canids can do dominance — it's necessary for hunting-discipline — but not all run in packs large enough to make the hassle worthwhile. Timber wolves got theirs fixed on max when they were hunting megafauna, and wherever you weres came from, you picked that up. Coyotes left the big animals to you and smilodons, and satisfied ourselves with leftovers and small game. Doesn't mean we don't have the attitude when we need, and Mercy's genes were close to source before she grabbed big chunks of nice strong magic from all over and stirred herself up so splendidly."

That actually made sense. "OK. Thanks for the perspective."

"No problem. But if we've established that you can do what you like anyway, and all these fine wolves are necessarily good with it, can we get on to what you are going to do, which is the interesting bit?"

He wasn't wrong, so with Adam and Skuffles contributing I laid out the madness one more time, Charles bringing up slides. To keep Coyote happy I included bison migration with being seriously greener, gave everyone a pretty map to look at and told Alphas on the probable route Darryl would send a detailed report, before adding, with more maps, Celilo Falls and the invitation to use it as a meeting-place, with the how of shielding plus wider reforestation. In deepening silence I got onto finance and other races that needed contesting, with news of some who'd be standing. After I confirmed Irpa his Alpha confirmed the Kentucky bicentenarian and silence disappeared as the age thing took over. Adam took point, for Warren and because his service record and TV exposure was a key factor.

"We've all known it was coming, and none of us like it. So what? We have to deal, this way is now necessary, and Mercy's already given us a better handle on it than any of us ever managed." He explained vamps as distraction, cover, and dilution, with history round tables and fae, avatar, and putative vamp participation. "Discouraging wannabes will be a bad burden for a while, probably ever, but races will play to age as strength and resource, and being straight about it and why we kept shtum will label us honest citizens. We've seen Mercy pull that trick before, and it worked very well, not least because of the contrast with her opponents. This time we have vamps as the countermeasure rather than Cantrip, but that's even better, frankly, especially with some judicial briefing of PDs and mayors about just how much trouble we've spared them down the years. Yeah, there'll be stupid questions, and freakouts and haters, like there aren't now, but we'll have humans who matter on side from the getgo, and unless someone does something silly, Mercy's PR magic will catch the public. And for all the hassle, we lose the worry of keeping the secret."

He paused to roll his head.

"Which brings up something else, because even allowing for newbies who are just wolf-dumb, the combination of commuting capital sentences, peace with vamps and fae, and the Path of Mercy means average wolf survival is rising, and the proportion of older wolves will increase. Bran, when was the last time two-thirds of your Alphas were over fifty?"

"1801."

Adam gave a humourless grin. "When it was you and Samuel."

"One more, but yes."

"And my point is, though we're out as wolves, we're coming out again as elders, and that's what we will increasingly be. At 68 and 69 David Christiansen and I are newbies next to Bran, Samuel, and Asil, and so are you, but David and I have plenty already we don't care to remember. And we've spoken a time or two about what it'll mean to become the only surviving Vietnam vets, finding we both feel obligations to remember as well as desires to forget. So while I understand why true elders don't need anyone's curiosity, let alone media attention, we have to flip attitudes on this one. Mercy?"

"Yeah. Seconding all that, and acknowledging I'm not a wolf and only half Adam's age, I told the Gray Lords and Underhill that a Path of Mercy has to mean offering deep knowledge of the past when it is seriously needed, for whatever, and more passively, so humans who are interested and benign get something. Baba Yaga will use that DC embassy to provide a library scholars can consult. And though I've only known for a week that avatars are undying, the same applies, and I'll be tapping them for Amerindian history. They're used to being resources among First People. Now it gets wider."

"If Anglos can find them." Coyote shrugged. "But you're not wrong, and I'll be doing my bit with National Geographic — they've been nagging about the late Pleistocene, so we'll go there. Raven and Snake are up for it. Salmon as well, as he's very happy about the river being fixed, so we could get swimming sabretooths in. Memory Lane's not so bad a trip, now and again, and any of us can say we don't remember if we don't want to answer."

Asil laughed softly. "So we can, Elder One, not that it will silence any reporter. But Adam and Mercy are right, and all know it. Seeing this come towards us ever more swiftly, and with the grace of Medicine Wolf's calm, Bran, Samuel, and I have been speaking of it, as we had not before. They both have far better reason than me to keep true ages unknown, but we will need an eldest known, and I seem to have volunteered."

That was news, and I gave Bran a hard look, blandly returned, before switching to Asil.

"Are you sure, Asil? I do not and would not ask this of you."

"I know, mi princesa, but one result of being calmer is that I grow bored. And for one of us who in four figures to speak with authority even deaf humans can hear of the curse of immortality is necessary." He gave a smile and I saw he really did accept it, wondering just how powerful Medicine Wolf's whammy had been. "I shall remember only common detail about the Caliphate but I did once meet Charlemagne, and the Reconquista was interesting." His voice acquired his own, high dominance. "If this old lobo can stomach it, so can all of you."

"True." Bran was still being bland, but pleased with the way things were going. "Medicine Wolf says that in this it will assist any older wolf in need. You have only to send them to Aspen Creek for a day. And time is passing."

Digesting surprise and pondering consequences, I got back to the core policies all candidates would share, as well as the leeway they would have to propose others. Isaac Owens, José Urillo, and other non-Anglos were interested in the constitutional approach to equalities of race, gender, and kind, Charles putting up slides with Jenny's proposed wordings, and there were suggestions about wolves and spouses who might be willing to stand. Educational stuff caught attentions, and Ramona, who'd been quiet, mostly, I thought, because she was busy filing names and faces, gave a crisp update on how the Freed's college careers were shaping up. Wolf footballers and clutch hitters entertained us briefly, until Ramona added Public Safety films, the Alphas went cross-eyed, and she wagged a finger.

"Hey, we're being everyone's friendly neighbourhood werewolfpack, so of course we happily do things that save children's lives. Washington State humans love this idea, and my wolves think it's fun as well as funny. Like forensics, it's easy credit, and the right thing, so enough of the furry dignity already and get those tails wagging."

Charles was holding in laughter, and Anna didn't bother. Even Bran was amused, however a roomful of Alphas was looking croggled, so I ploughed on, adding the gun plan, which after some reacting they did like, and ending with a summary about Frank, laying out my reasoning.

"So that's what, who, and why. As to how, Bran is clear he does not tell you how to vote, and you do not tell pack. Everyone's conscience is their own. But anyone who is on board needs to be active, as of Wednesday, with as much family as possible. Jesse will be reaching out to minors, and you can expect serious pressure from that direction. And yes, I am reaching out to everyone, beginning with you. The whole vamp deal means half of everything is contingent — if Bonarata gets me, that's that, but if I get him … well, who knows how I'll be able to spin it, or what the nation'll decide, but I have plans. And the half that isn't contingent is, bottom line, momentum and PR. So first, if you're on board, talk it up, shout it out, put it in play any which way you can, as often as you can. Do radio and TV interviews until you can't bear another, and put your better wolves up too, if they're willing." Another slide popped up. "Voter registration drives and heavy social media, please — hashtags as needed locally, but use #MercyForPresident, #PathOfMercy, #IDoNotNeedEnemies, and #UsefulECoyote." The last got the laugh and groans I'd expected, and I gave an encouraging grin."No-one has to agree with everything, just be clear the core stuff can happen, and if it does we'll all be working hard to make it a really good deal for humans as well as preternaturals. And I'm not aiming to be negative, but the US has to learn to keep its sworn oath, so any candidate who wobbles on that needs to go down in flames, fast.

"Second, those on board, please reach out to any fae and half-fae in your territories, see where they're at with instructions from Gray Lords, and co-ordinate. Quite a few attended DC hearings on the Farouts, and though full-blood fae are usually indifferent to human politics, half-bloods aren't, and many are watching — earth fae and trolls particularly. And please get creative. Would a campaign stop be of use to you, and if so, what venue, what audience? Do you know people with sufficient clout it would be worth my while meeting them? Who else do your wolves, their spouses and kin, know, or can get to? Suggestions to me, Coyote, who'll be marshalling First People, or Mary Oliver, my PA. And non-Anglos, wolf or kin, think about possible synergies. There are First People everywhere, not just in the West, and multiculture is what we want. Isaac, a lot of Southern pious have been listening to me, African-American and Anglo, and I've been trying to cultivate them. Would you be willing to push some Christian interracial and inter-species solidarity about stewardship?"

He would, as José Urillo and Ramona would with Latinx Catholics, though Ramona laughingly thought her newer Episcopalian links might be more responsive. Most Alphas had some of that from Living Free and Moonbound, but Ramona gave extra fill, and as quite a few Anglo Alphas were Episcopalian, or its lapsed version, I upped expectations from that quarter.

"Third and last, whether you're onboard or not, it comes down to me and your proper conservatism as Alphas. I am trouble, and you don't need me to tell you that. I can't help it, any more than breathing. But I have been working to make it good trouble, and I don't think I've done so badly by you, or anyone. I am not, as in not, calling in any kind of debt about Cantrip, nor will I ever. I aimed to take them down on Jesse's and Adam's account, not yours, and a lot of other beings made it happen. But I do ask you to remember, clearly, the curses you were all spewing when I marched out there and brought Caroline Taylor inside, and the relief, even satisfaction, you felt by that evening, and again next morning, when my shocking, grossly improper, and unnatural ability to use Alpha magic and Carnwennan to sever packbonds meant we could dodge the bullet the JLS fired via idiot Harris. Bottom line, yeah, there are good reasons coyotes and wolves don't usually mix well. But I am mated to Adam, and both Angus and Ramona have asked me to run with their packs, which I have with joy."

"And useful instruction about scenting." Angus was in the third row, and gave a wide smile. "Coyotes really do smell better than wolves."

"Un huh. I still smell like wet dog in the rain."

To me it was a very old chestnut, but there was more laughter, and self-mockery mattered. Nor was Angus done.

"Yup. But you could tell my wolves what they needed, Mercy, on four legs and two, and I hadn't expected that. My bad." He stood so he could swivel. "I spent the whole time, eighteen months back, going what? how? which? as Mercy pulled iron after iron out of the fire. I couldn't believe what she was pulling off, or how simply, unbelievably, and ruthlessly fucking tough she was being." Angus rarely swore, in deference to Adam, and waved a hand in Adam's direction, but made no apology. "We all make hard decisions. We've all killed, not only those whose actions have truly earned death. We all have ghosts. We all know what hanging tough takes. But how many of us have done it under the kind of pressure and assault Mercy was under in that week? And pulled that many rabbits out of who knows how many hats in the doing? #SheCalledThunderbird, Mercy just happening to acquire King Arthur's witchkilling dagger when she needed it, Medicine Wolf backing her on everything. But do you also remember Bran's brief that week that in killing Manannán mac Lír against all odds she created and saw an opportunity to bring humans and Fae together in honest negotiation? Or the words Isaac spoke for us of her immediate analysis, that events bore out in every way? Or that on the back of it all Bran could ask Hank to wear a pink stetson on national TV?"

Hank barked another laugh. "And I'd do it again, however gays offend me. Push comes to shove, which it did, and is again, if someone has a gun and will point it where I think it should be pointed, I don't care what they do in private. Angus is right, y'all. Mercy's clean outta left field, but it's applied left field, and right now we need a bunch of that a whole lot more than we need business as usual."

Angus flipped a thumbs-up as he sat, Hank glowered impartially, and I wondered how to pick up again.

"All that's not for me to judge, but what coyotes do is change the rules on people. I changed them on Guayota, Cantrip, the Man, and Paul Harris. Now I'm changing them on you, and yeah, you bet female Alphas are the thin end of a wedge. High time."

I thought for a moment, and no-one interrupted me.

"Last thing is that, as Adam'll tell you, I really did not want to do this. Four years in the Beltway is one of my leading definitions of hell, and even getting Adam into a tux as First Gentleman is nothing like incentive enough. But Jesse told me I had to try, and she was right, so here I am, teeth gritted, and the last thing I'll ask you to do is to have a serious one-on-one here, now, with the fellow Alpha you most trust. Whatever kind of trouble I am, I am not motivated by self-interest. Don't you be, either." I checked my watch. "Adam, Darryl, Ramona, Carla, Coyote, and I will be here for a few hours. Ask what you will of whom you will, but make a decision before you leave, please. I need tallies, and I ask for fair warning of any public wolf opposition."

"I demand it." Bran's voice had some growl, and everybody nodded. "It is not forbidden, but any ambush will … greatly annoy me. Mercy has been honest with you. Be now honest among yourselves, bearing in mind your oaths as Alphas to serve the good of all wolves with your packs."

I was off the hook while rows broke into knots and huddles that exchanged members. There was natural geographical bias among those who saw one another more often as neighbours, but that was overridden by shifts grouping senior and less senior, or reflected ethnicity and piety. Questions were asked, and Farmer came to offer apologies with a reluctant promise to do his best. Others seemed more interested in a personal impression than any explanation of anything I'd said. An encouraging number had suggestions for candidates, human and half-fae as well as wolf, and a few pointed questions for Darryl that we tallied with interest, enjoying Darryl's deadpan-to-snarky replies about Auriele, whom he relied on and would not order without Adam's order, or the inestimable and proven benefits for any pack of having a coyote and a tibicena. Coyote was circulating, leaving grins and shaking heads in his wake.

"I shall recall this meeting with pleasure, Mercy." Bran drifted up beside me. "Discombobulating massed Alphas has been my own preserve, but help is always welcome."

"Dangerous words, Da." Charles was scratching Skuffles. "I believe two Alpha coyotes who are pack but unbound to you might be enough for now."

Bran shrugged. "The fae are right that Skuffles is a truly unexpected bit of magic. Have you tried the silver teeth on wolf flesh, Mercy?"

"Yup. Brent obligingly touched a fingertip, and yelped. Skuffles?" It exposed silver dentition, and Bran peered without touching. "The silver came out of the Freed, and I think Zee used that to give it an extra zap."

"Ah. Someone certainly did something. And the wood?"

"Firehardened Underhill oak. The iron came from Zee, too, and he added steel edges."

Skuffles showed those, and the edges and points of incisors, canines, and carnassials had a blue glitter. Charles whistled.

"Why metal does not prevent dematerialisation is a puzzle."

"Says the wolf who grows clothes from thin air."

My teeth are not glamour. They are me, so when I go they do too.

Proving the point, two ruff-skulls ate ruff-roses, others appearing. That was glamour and I adored it, but it was décor. Teeth were business.

Bran grinned. "You know, Charles, if I have two unsworn Alpha coyotes, you have Skuffles as a new … demi-sister? Is your maxi-me's motto also My vengeance is legend, by any chance, Mercy?"

"Or What a long strange trip it's still being." Skuffles grinned at me, and I was glad she'd acquired my taste in music as well as everything else. I slung an arm round Charles, who gave me a suspicious look. "Is that a problem, big brother? You're getting on famously with your new sister."

"I am no fool, Mercy, so of course I am. Even your all-too-exactly father knows not to increase the peskiness of sisters without true need. And the spirits dance for you both, wildly so since news of Celilo Falls."

I would have batted his arm, but he was always serious about spirits, so I thanked him and asked him to convey my greetings.

"They're welcome, Charles. I'm surprised no-one's asked me about the Sacred Space as meeting ground, though."

"They are digesting it, Mercy." Bran spread his hands. "For most, such a resource has not been a need, but they see well enough why it will be so for you and others. The wider benefits will be noticed in time."

Charles nodded. "You pushed them further than they came believing possible, and they need to think it through. One-on-ones was a good ploy."

"Pyramiding. Means everyone has to talk at least once."

"Alphas do not need encouraging to talk." Bran shrugged. "Few would have opposed you, even without that remarkable display of dominance. Your platform has powerful and obvious appeal. True, we have to cede some secrecy, but we gain power. Humans will have to cede power, gaining safety and whatever other benefits we can cook up."

"Huh. Maybe, Bran, but we're gaining safety too, and ceding powers. I know you're you, and we're all predators, but think symbiosis, hey, not a zero-sum power game?"

He laughed. "Maybe back. You have a point. But so do I."

"Several, always. And speaking of which, Asil?"

"He volunteered, Mercy, much to my surprise but no longer my concern. He has been talking to his sons, so I suspect Spanish as well as family politics in play. I will permit him to say the Marrok is older, but no more."

"Un huh. That I get. Can't say I'm not surprised, though." I was thinking hard. "Do you have any intended timing?"

Bran shrugged again. "Only by ear. Your Wednesday broadcast will spill the general beans, and bicentenarians will come out. Asil thought the right time would come as speculation built."

"Could be. I was wondering about holding it in reserve, though."

"Against?"

"Something going south. Collateral damage or disinformation that gains traction." Thoughts spun. "Andrea and Mary think more humans than we allow already accept that wolves don't age, and will blink less than we fear at a few bicentenarians. Wow, some do make it to that sort of age. Cool. Next? But a millenarian who met Charlemagne? That's in a different league, and not a resource to squander. I hadn't expected Asil to come out at all, but if he's decided he will we need to think hard about maximising value. Can I talk to Jesse, Andrea, and Jenny about this?"

"Certainly. And I don't disagree." Bran frowned. "All the talking with Gray Lords has made it harder for me to think human of late, and Aspen Creek does not help with that."

"Huh. Figures." Aspen Creek's problems were all old wolves. "Lean on Anna some more, maybe."

"I already do, Mercy. Charles will not bless me for doing it harder."

"For this it's OK, Da. And you were thinking of Asil's welfare, and Samuel's and other elders', before human reactions to an order of magnitude shift you passed centuries ago." He cocked his head. "Asil has only been on this continent thirty-some years this time, but was here before, in the Spanish West, so you should add him to Warren and Coyote if that round table happens after he's out."

"Surely. I told Stefan about that one too, and he laughed."

"So I saw, and for your sake hope it happens. Vampires, yet. But you have a point about forced Turning, and forced outing."

"And #DaywalkingByNight." Bran was back to smiling. "All those other hashtags, too. You continue to hone your politician's talent for slogans."

"Wash your mouth out with soap and water, Bran."

But he was right, and as Alphas came by ones and twos to tell me they were onboard, and would do as asked down the line, wishing me luck against Bonarata and rivals alike, I let my backbrain absorb it. Alphas, schmalfas. Coyote was coming to town, and for once I didn't mean my grinning father.